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The Intel(R) X25-M SATA Solid-State Drive (SSD) is now shipping on 34-nanometer (nm) process. A hard drive replacement for PCs and notebooks, it delivers the same and or better performance than its 50nm predecessor, at a fraction of the cost. (Photo: Business Wire)

The Intel(R) X25-M SATA Solid-State Drive (SSD) is now shipping on 34-nanometer (nm) process. A hard drive replacement for PCs and notebooks, it delivers the same and or better performance than its 50nm predecessor, at a fraction of the cost. (Photo: Business Wire)

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intel Corporation is moving to a more advanced, 34- nanometer (nm)
manufacturing process for its leading NAND flash-based Solid State Drive
(SSD) products, which are an alternative to a computer’s hard drive. The
move to 34nm will help lower prices of the SSDs up to 60 percent for PC
and laptop makers and consumers who buy them due to the reduced die size
and advanced engineering design.

The multi-level cell (MLC) Intel® X25-M Mainstream SATA SSD is aimed at
laptop and desktop PCs and available in 80 Gigabyte (GB) and 160GB
versions. SSDs are data storage devices found inside computers. Because
SSDs have no moving parts they offer faster performance and greater
energy efficiency and durability than traditional hard disk drives
(HDDs). A draw for gamers, media creators and technology enthusiasts,
SSDs have also played a key role in the emergence of ultra-thin and
light notebook PCs that are becoming increasingly popular due to their
design, size and longer battery life.

“Our goal was to not only be first to achieve 34nm NAND flash memory
lithography, but to do so with the same or better performance than our
50nm version,” said Randy Wilhelm, Intel vice president and general
manager, Intel NAND Solutions Group. “We made quite an impact with our
breakthrough SSDs last year, and by delivering the same or even better
performance with today’s new products, our customers, both consumers and
manufacturers, can now enjoy them at a fraction of the cost.”

The Intel X25-M on 34nm flash memory is drop-in compatible with the
current 50nm version and will continue to be drop-in compatible to
replace existing hard disk drives (HDDs).

Compared to its previous 50nm version, the new Intel X25-M offers
improved latency and faster random write Input/Output Operations Per
Second (IOPS). Specifically, Intel’s new SSD provides a 25 percent
reduction in latency, for quicker access to data, operating at
65-microsecond latency compared to approximately 4,000 microseconds for
an HDD.

Random write performance increases twofold, further separating the X25-M
from other competing SSDs. By delivering up to 6,600 4KB write IOPS and
up to 35,000 read IOPS, the X25-M continues to set the bar for SSDs,
while leapfrogging HDDs which only operate at several hundred IOPS. This
provides for markedly faster system and application responsiveness.
These improvements in latency and IOPS not only benefit desktop and
notebook users, but also server and workstation users, as they utilize
Intel’s cost-effective, yet performance-oriented, MLC SSDs for
enterprise computing.

New channel prices for the X25-M 80GB are $225 for quantities up to
1,000 units (a 60 percent reduction from the original introduction price
of $595 a year ago). The 160GB version is $440 (down from $945 at
introduction) for quantities up to 1,000 units. The X25-M comes in a
standard 2.5-inch form factor. The X18-M, in a 1.8-inch form factor,
will begin shipping on 34nm later in the quarter.

Drop-in compatible with SATA-based HDDs and all operating systems, the
X25-M will also support Microsoft Windows 7 when it becomes available.
At that time, Intel plans to deliver a firmware update to allow support
of the Windows 7 Trim command, along with an end user tool, to allow
users to optimize the performance of their SSD on Windows XP and Vista
operating systems.

For further information on Intel’s High Performance line of solid-state
drives, including the Intel X25-M Mainstream and the Intel® X25-E
Extreme SATA SSD targeted for server, workstation and enterprise storage
applications, visit www.intel.com/go/ssd.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops
technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people
work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom
and blogs.intel.com.

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